Our boating destinations
Explore beautiful waterways in nine different countries
Find your dream canal boat holiday with Emerald Star in Ireland and Emerald Star in Europe and Canada. Discovering the beauty of stunning lakes, rivers, and canals and their surrounding villages and countryside, from the unique perspective of your sundeck is unbeatable!
Come boating in Ireland and enjoy mystic waterways and a warm welcome
- Ancient celtic monuments & religious sites
- Championship golf courses
- Wonderful fishing
- Fantastic scenery
- Friendly pubs with traditional live music
Boating holidays in England are fun-packed adventures, through pretty countryside and historic sites.
- Family fun and plenty to do and see
- Beautiful green countryside
- Riverside pubs and immaculate villages
- Fishing and bird-watching
Spectacular mountain scenery makes Scotland's highland waterways an unforgettable boating holiday experience
- Spectacular mountain scenery
- Hiking & hill walking
- Whisky distillery tours
- Fishing, wildlife & bird-watching
Discover French canal holidays in nine stunning regions
- Largest choice of boating holiday destinations
- Unique scenery for each region
- Rich history and heritage
- Local gastronomy and finest wines
Cruise through peaceful lakes and Germany's pulsating capital
- Lakeside Baroque castles
- Swimming & watersports
- Hiking & biking
- Forest & bird watching
The Netherlands' landscape of canals, windmills and chocolate-box towns is just waiting to be explored by boat
- City break in Amsterdam
- Fishing, cycling & watersports
- Festivals & events
- Relaxed pavement café atmosphere
Ancient and rich architecture in historic cities are what your Belgium river cruise has in store for you!
- Gothic architecture
- Cathedrals & churches
- Museums & art galleries
- Horse-drawn carriage tours
- World War memorials
- Tasty Chocolates & Beers
Why choose Emerald Star canal boating holidays?
Canal holidays with Emerald Star provide a fine opportunity to see the leafy countryside, embrace different cultures, and visit charming villages that many miss. With boating holidays across a choice of nine different countries, your exploration possibilities are simply endless!
Our river boat holidays allow you to explore surrounding areas wherever, whenever and in whatever way you want to. With a vast network of bases across Europe, we can offer the largest variety of cruising routes in comparison to our competitors, many of which are one-way trips, meaning that you won’t have to return to where you started.
Whether you fancy walking through the medieval cobbled streets of Bruges or indulging in the finest wines and cheeses of Burgundy, with over 170 varied river cruising holidays, we’ll be sure to have the right river boat holiday for you, whether it’s a weekend away or a long-haul trip.
Best of all, your choices don’t stop there. With over 40 different types of boats to hire, dependent on your choice of destination, and the freedom to travel as slow as you want to, your trip couldn’t be easier to book. So, take your pick and find out more.
Our canal boats
As captain of your own hired boat, you’ll be living in, and driving, your personal cruiser. Our boats are all very easy to operate, and the best part is that you don’t need any licence or experience before setting off! We have plenty of boat hire options to choose from including Premier, Comfort and Comfort Plus, and even Budget boats to suit everyone’s needs and wishes. With all these options, you can book the perfect canal boat holiday with loved ones.
Looking for canal boat holidays for beginners?
We know it can seem a little daunting to head off on your own canal boat cruiser without any experience. Your safety and security are very important to us, and although no licence is required, we ensure you get a full induction before setting off onto the waters. Our thorough orientation covers everything you need to know, from basic navigation skills to understanding the unique features of your canal boat.
Emerald Star is committed to ensuring that first time enjoy an unforgettable holiday and gain the skills and knowledge necessary to become confident cruisers. So if you’re new to canal boating, you can be sure you’ll be a confident cruiser on a Emerald Star holiday.
What our customers say…
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